Method for moistening tobacco



R. D. TOUTON Jan. 28, 1941.

METHOD FOR MOISTENING TOBACCO Filed Dec. 23, 1938 Jan. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 23, 1938, Serial No. 247,332

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a method for moistening tobacco and other packed materials.

While this invention will be adaptable for the moistening of any tobacco, it will be especially advantageous for the moistening of tobacco such as filler, binder and wrapper tobacco used in the manufacture of cigars; and will be especially characterized by the fact that the moistening will be efiected with the tobacco in baled form.

to As is well known, tobacco is ordinarily packed for shipment in bales, hogsheads, or the like, in which the tobacco leaves are relatively tightly packed together. Thus, for example, tobacco used in the manufacture of cigars is made up into lo hands comprising a plurality of leaves secured at their butts. -A plurality of hands are in turn baled or compressed, usually in two rows with the tips of the leaves adjacent and the butts outward, into a case or box in which the tobacco dries out 2% to a state of relative brittleness.

For preparation of such tobacco for fermentation or manufacture into cigars the hands must be separated and the leaves moistened to enable their manipulation without breaking.

255i Heretofore the separation of the hands forming a bale or case of tobacco without excessive breakage has presented a problem, since theleaves forming the hands are dry and brittle and the hands are more or less adhered together from the 3d pressure used in baling them and their subsequent drying out. I

Various attempts have been made to moisten the tobacco in the baled form in order to facilitate the separation of the hands, but none have proved tit entirely successful, variously for the reasons that excessive time is required, excessive or non-uniform wetting occurs, and dipping in water or treatment with steam vapor at atmospheric pressure causes damage to delicate tobaccos.

m Now in accordance with this invention a method is provided whereby tobacco in baled form maybe readily and quickly moistened to enable the hands to be separated without breakage and further whereby, if desired, the leaves it forming the hands may be substantially uniformly moistened and otherwise treated to the extent a during and/or after draining off of the liquid and variously at the same time to heat. In the. different stages of the process the degree'of vacuum and/or the temperature may be varied, depending upon the type of tobacco or the result to be 5 obtained.

The characteristics of the method from a more detailed standpoint will, it is believed, be made apparent from the following description of apparatus for the carrying out of the method.

Having now indicated, in a general way, the nature and purpose of this invention, I will proceed to a detailed description of apparatus adaptable for use in the carrying out of the method, all with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a form of apparatus adaptedforuse in carrying out the method according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the treating chamber included in the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

In the several figures A is a chamber provided with a coil R for heating or cooling fluid and dimensioned to hold a bale or case or a plurality of equipped with tight fitting and gasketed doors v3Q B, B adapted tobe held closed by means of dogs C.

A conveyorD, which may be endless, is arranged for the delivery of tobacco to the chamber A from any suitable point and the conveyor D will serve to transfer the tobacco to any desired point after completion of the treatment. The conveyors D and D may be driven by any suitable power. A conveyor D" may be installed within the chamber. I

A vacuum pump E will be connected to the'top 40 of chamber A through a conduit P provided with a valve F and a pressure gauge G will be connected to the chamber to indicate the pressure (vacuum) therein. Thechamber A will also be provided with a valved vent Q under control of an 5 adjustable vacuum responsive device Q and with a water level glass V. A thermal indicating and control device S will operate to indicate the temperature within the chamber A and to actuate a regulating and control valve Y for control of heating and cooling fluid to coil R.

Below the bottom of the chamber A and connected with the bottom thereof by a conduit K provided with a valve L is a tank H adapted to contain a liquid, as water, and having a capacity a vent M. A two-way pump N is connected to the 1 tank H and to conduit K, by conduits U, controlled by a valve U.

A thermal indicating and control device T will operate to indicate the temperature of the liquid in tank H and to actuate a regulating and control valve C for control of the heating element I.

Stops A are provided in chamber A at a height to overlie the containers 0 for the tobacco and preventthe bales from floating when liquid is introduced into the chamber.

In proceeding for the carrying out of the method in accordance with this invention, with use of the apparatus above described, the wooden case or box is removed from several bales of tobacco X, they'are placed in open metal baskets 0r perforated containers 0, provided with followers O' to accommodate the containers to bales of various lengths, and so supported are entered into the chamber A and rest on the conveyor D". The doors B of chamber A are dogged shut and the vacuum pump E is operated to draw a vacuum in the interior of the chamber A, the valve L in water conduit K, the valve U in conduit U and the vent Q being closed. The vacuum responsive control Q for valve Q is set for maintenance of the desired vacuum.

The vacuum drawn on the chamber A may be a low vacuum, say within the range 1-28 inches of mercury, the particular vacuum depending upon whether or not the vacuum pump is continued in operation during flooding of the chamber. Desirably the vacuum maintenance will be such that the temperature of the liquid will be below the boiling point corresponding to the absolute pressure.

A vacuum of a degree suflicient to effect flooding of chamber A from tank H having been drawn on chamber A, the valve F in conduit P will be closed and the valve L in conduit K will be opened. On the opening of valve L water from the tank H will rush into chamber A and flood the chamber and the bales of tobacco therein. The water will desirably be at a temperature of say about F. or within the range 60-110 F.

The bales of tobacco in chamber A having been flooded with water and sufiicient time having been allowed to permit the water to penetrate throughout the bales, the interiors of which are, of course, under low pressure, the vent Q is opened and the water rapidly drained back into tank H.

The water having been drained out of chamber A, the doors may be opened and the wetted bales discharged from the chamber onto the conveyor D and further bales are introduced into the chamber from conveyor D for treatment as described.

In certain cases the valve F in conduit P may be left open and the vacuum pump continued in operation during the admission of water to chamber A, with regulation of the vacuum at the desired point by regulator Q, and again after the water is drained from chamber A the water valve L may be closed and the bales of tobacco again subjected to reduced pressure for a period say from .5-1.5 hours to allow free water in the bales to be absorbed by the tobacco leaves. When the bales are subjected to vacuum after draining off of the water from chamber A, a heating fluid, as steam, may be introduced-into the coils R and the temperature within the chamber raised to say -90" F. to facilitate the removal of excess water from the tobacco by vaporization. Under certain conditions, the temperature of the chamber will be raised above theboiling point of water corresponding to the absolute pressure maintained in the chamber,

In many cases the operation will be facilitated by use of the two-way pump N for flooding and draining of the chamber A and variously vacuum may be desirably .maintained on the chamber during the flooding of the chamber and also during the draining off of the water therefrom by the pump N, thus carrying out the entire treatment under reduced pressure.

Thus, by way of more specific example of procedure using the two-way pump N, the chamber containing the tobacco is put under vacuum, say, for example, a vacuum of 20" of mercury, by operation of the vacuum pump E. The valve L is left closed, the vaive U' opened and the pump N operated to flood the chamber with water, the vacuum being maintained by continued operation of the pump E and the regulator Q. The pump N is then reversed and the water withdrawn from the chamber while continuing the maintenance of a vacuum. Such procedure will have the effect of lessening the liquid pressure on the tobacco in chamber A to a greater degree than in those cases where the water is drained from chamber A by admitting air to chamber A through vent Q and will permit treatment of more delicate types of tobacco with avoidance of injury.

Variously, the vacuum may be changed during the treatment of the tobacco, For example, a vacuum of 15" of mercury may be initially drawn on the chamber containing the baled tobacco, then during the flooding of the chamber with liquid 2. higher vacuum may be drawn, say a vacuum of 20" of mercury. Finally, during the draining and for a period thereafter a still higher vacuum, say a vacuum of 25" of mercury, may be drawn.

In many instances agitation of the water in the chamber will be advantageous. Agitation may be effected by so operating the pump N as to cause the level of the liquid in the chamber to be raised and lowered.

Variously, with various types of tobacco, it will be desirable to subject the tobacco to liquid at a different temperature from that of the tobacco. Thus, for example, with those tobaccos most easily susceptible to damage from water, it will be desirable to have the temperature of the liquid lower than that of the tobacco, for example, 10 F. lower than the temperature of the tobacco.

In certain cases it will be advantageous to subject the tobacco to flooding with a liquid so composed as to have a greater or a lesser surface tension than pure water under the conditions of pressure and temperature obtaining within the chamber. By way of example, a liquid which may be advantageously used and which will have a greater surface tension than pure water may comprise water containing a mineral salt, as potassium nitrate, in various amount up to saturation. On the other hand, an advantageous liquid having less surface tension than pure water may comprise one part of glycerine and four parts of water.

If desired, a flavoring for the tobacco, such as licorice, rum, maple sugar, or the like, a fermentation catalyst or accelerator, such as yeast, enzymes, or the like, may be placed in the Water in tank H for transfer to the tobacco when flooded with the water.

it will be understood that it is not contemplated that this invention shall be limited by the detailed description given above for illustrative purposes, since it will be obvious that various modification and in the carrying out of the method may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of moistening baled tobacco which includes positioning a bale of tobacco in a chamber, reducing the pressure: within the chamber below atmospheric pressure but not below the vapor pressure of the liquid to be introduced into the chamber at the temperature obtaining, flooding the entire bale of tobacco by introducing a liquid into the chamber, rapidly draining ofi the liquid from the chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber after the liquid has been drained off therefrom to a pressure below the vapor pressure of the liquid at the temperature obtaining and permitting the tobacco to remain in the chamber under such pressure for a period to permit removal of excess liquid from the tobacco by vaporization.

2. The method for moistening baled tobacco which includes positioning a bale of tobacco in a chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber below atmospheric pressure'but not below the vapor pressure of the liquid to be introduced into the chamber at the temperature obtaining, flooding the entire bale of tobacco by introducing a liquid into the chamber, rapidly draining off the liquid from the chamber, raising the temperature within the chamber after the liquid has been drained off therefrom to a temperature above the boiling point of the liquid at the pressure obtaining and permitting the tobacco to remain in the chamber at such temperature arid under such pressure for a period to permit removal of excess liquid from the tobacco by vaporization.

3. The method for moistening baled tobacco whiclf includes positioning a bale of tobacco in a chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber below atmospheric pressure but not below the vapor pressure of the liquid to be introduced into the chamber at the temperature obtaining, flooding the entire bale of tobacco by introducing a liquid into the chamber, said liquid when introduced being at a temperature lower than that of the tobacco, rapidly draining of! the liquid from the chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber after the liquid has been drained off therefrom to a pressure below the vapor pressure of the liquid at the temperature obtaining and permitting the tobacco to remain in the chamber under such pressure for a. period to permit removal of excess liquid from the tobaooo by vaporization.

4. The method for moistening baled tobacco which includes positioning a bale of tobacco in a chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber below atmospheric pressure but not below the vapor pressure of the liquid to be introduced into the chamber at the temperature obtaining, flooding the entire bale of tobacco by introducing a liquid into the chamber, said liquid when introduced being at a temperature lower than that of the tobacco, rapidly draining oil the liquid from the chamber, raising the temperature within the chamber after the liquid has been drained off therefrom to a temperature above the boiling point of the liquid at the pressure obtaining and permitting the tobacco to remain in the chamber at such temperature and under such pressure for a period to permit removal of excess liquid from the tobacco by vaporization.

5. The method for moistening baled tobacco which includes positioning a bale of tobacco in a chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber, flooding the chamber with a liquid in an amount sufficient to completely immerse the tobacco while maintaining a reduced pressure within the chamber, rapidly draining off the liquid from the chamber to a point out of contact with the tobacco, further reducing the pressure within the chamber alter the liquid has been drained oif, and permitting the tobacco to remain within the chamber, rapidly draining off the liquid from the chamber to a point out of contact with the tobacco, further reducing the pressure within the chamber after the liquid has been drained oif, permitting the tobacco to remain in the chamber under such reduced pressure for a period sumcient to permit absorption by the tobacco of a substantial amount of the unabsorbed liquid retained in the bale, and then raising the temperature within the chamber to evaporate the remainder of the unabsorbed liquid.

7. The method for moistening baled tobacco which includes positioning a bale of tobacco in a chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber by about 15 inches of mercury, flooding the chamber with a liquid in an amount sufficient to completely immerse the tobacco while maintaining a reduced pressure equivalent to a vacuum of approximately 20 inches of mercury within the chamber, rapidly draining off the liquid from the chamber to a point out of contact with the tobacco, further reducing the pressure within the chamber after the liquid has been drained off to a pressure equivalent to a vacuum of approximately 25 inches of mercury, and permitting the tobacco to remain in the chamber under such reduced pressure for a period suflicient to permit RUSH D. TOUTON. 

